A newly discovered virus, a variant of the Deformed wing Virus (DWV), is threatening the existence of all bees worldwide, with Australia at present not yet having this problem. the virus is spread by varroa mites, which are a threat in themselves to bees, so this is a double whammy.
Dr. Robert Paxton who teaches at the Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg (MLU), has said: ““The Deformed Wing Virus is arguably the biggest threat to honey bees right now. Our lab research has shown that the new, highly contagious variant is killing bees faster. Our analysis confirms that the new variant is already the dominating force in Europe. We fear that it’s just a matter of time before it will have forced its way all over the world.” This makes it even more urgent to control varroa mites with hive hygiene, especially in the early stages of any infestation.
The death of bees, who face numerous other threats, such as colony collapse Disorder (CCD), will mean a threat to most of the food on the planet, as bees are responsible for 80 percent of all pollination on the planet.
“The new virus variant is spread by varroa mites or “varroa destructors”, a devastating pest which feeds on the hemolymph (blood) of the Western honey bee population. The mites invade honeybee hives and can eat honey bee pupa as well as spread viruses.
A newly discovered variant of the Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) is threatening to wipe out the global bee population.
The bee population is already vulnerable due to human-inflicted causes including pesticides, drought, habitat destruction prompted by construction sites, air pollution and global warming. A common bee pest, the varroa mite, now poses an additional threat to the bee’s population.
“The Deformed Wing Virus is arguably the biggest threat to honey bees right now. Our lab research has shown that the new, highly contagious variant is killing bees faster,” says Dr. Robert Paxton who teaches at the Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg (MLU).
DWV is responsible for causing severe damage to a bee’s wing before eventually killing them. The new variant was discovered by a scientist collective across the globe who have been studying DWV for two decades. The new variant is being spread by varroa mites, a common honey bee pest.
According to researchers at MLU who used 3,000 different sets of data to track down the new variant's location, the new variant has already spread throughout Europe and has already reached every other continent with the exception of Australia.
“Our analysis confirms that the new variant is already the dominating force in Europe. We fear that it’s just a matter of time before it will have forced its way all over the world,” warns Dr. Paxton.
Scientists warn beekeepers that basic, general hygiene measures are a key preventive measure against the destructive pests.
"Basic, general hygiene measures for the hive are paramount for beekeepers when it comes to protecting their colonies from the varroa mite," says Dr. Paxton.
They add that discovering the mites in their early stages of infestation will also help save the hive they are tending.
"Bees are the most important creature for mankind and the environment," adds Dr. Paxton
Indeed, bees are a vital part of the planet— responsible for 80% of all pollination globally— they are the farmers who help support and grow fruits, nuts, and vegetables within 70/100 top human food crops that are responsible for 90% of the world’s nutrition.
Bees are so essential that if they die: we don’t eat.”
https://www.naturalnews.com/2022-05-24-pathogen-variant-threatens-to-decimate-bees-worldwide.html
“A newly discovered variant of a virus that affects bees is now threatening to wipe out apian populations around the globe.
A variant of the deformed wing virus (DWV), dubbed DWV-B by scientists, appears to affect bees at a faster rate. The virus causes severe damage to the wings of bees before eventually killing them.
Varroa mites – known to be traditional pests in bee colonies – serve as vectors for the pathogen. Not only do the mites carry the more lethal DWV-B, they also eat bee pupae and lay their eggs in them. This, in turn, threatens the reproduction of bee populations.
Zoologist Robert Paxton of Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) in Germany warned of the dangers of DWV-B if left unchecked.
“The DWV is arguably the biggest threat to honey bees right now. Our lab research has shown that the new, highly contagious variant is killing bees faster,” the expert in apian diseases remarked.
An international group of scientists monitoring DVW variants for the past two decades discovered the deadlier bee pathogen. In turn, MLU scientists examined 3,000 different datasets to find out where DWV-B has spread.
The researchers at the German university found that DWV-B has already replaced earlier strains circulating in Europe and is quickly spreading to neighboring regions. It was first detected in Europe and Africa in the early 2000s. The virus started spreading in North and South America in 2010, and reached Asia five years later.
“Our analysis confirms that the new variant is already the dominating force in Europe. We fear that it’s just a matter of time before it will have forced its way all over the world,” explained Paxton.
Only Australia remains unaffected by the DWV-B pathogen, which Paxton attributed to the varroa mite’s failure to establish itself to a wider extent in the Land Down Under.
Honey bees face an assortment of threats
According to Paxton, “basic general hygiene measures for the hive are paramount for beekeepers when it comes to protecting their colonies from the varroa mite.” Discovering the mites during the early stages of infestation will also help save the rest of the hive from decimation.
“Bees are the most important creature for mankind and the environment,” he said.
Bees are responsible for 80 percent of global pollination. Of the roughly known 20,000 species of bees, only two have been domesticated for honey production and pollination: The western honeybee (Apis mellifera) and the eastern honeybee (A. cerana).
Aside from the varroa mite and the DWV-B it carries, apian populations are threatened by anthropogenic factors. These factors include mono-cropping, construction projects that destroy bee habitats and pesticides that inadvertently kill bees.
One such pesticide promoted as safe for bees appears to harm them after all. Researchers at the University of California San Diego found after a year-long probe that flupyradifurone, sold under the brand name Sivanto, was detrimental to bee populations.
They noted that the pesticide manufactured by German chemical company Bayer “can synergistically harm bee behavior and survival, depending upon season and bee age” when used alongside a common fungicide. “Bees suffered greater mortality … and exhibited abnormal behavior, including poor coordination, hyperactivity and apathy,” the researchers added.
A piece by Children’s Health Defense stated: “In the case of Sivanto, the harmful effects were four times greater on foragers than in-hive bees. Needless to say, this still threatens the health of the entire colony. The harm was also greater on both types of worker bees during the summer, compared to spring.”